Plastic strips



W L. CHALFIN PLASTIC STRIPS April 24, 1962 Filed Sept. 22, 1959 FIG.3

FIG.1

o 9 2 N 3 a 2 m S c. L n W fl 8 I W. 8 M M 6 a W 6 m y I l 0 W W K n 5 Mu 3 .0 W U 7 6)) v 2 U i /v Q V 2 I A w u mm 4 V F U F m in l 1111 I 4FIG.9

FIG.12

INVENTOR. WILLIAM LCHALFIN ATTORNEY 3,030,633 PLASTIC STRIPS William L.Chalfin, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Wilmington Chemical & RubberCorporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation Filed Sept. 22, 1959, Ser.No. 341,544 Claims. (Cl. 2258) This invention relates to plastic strips,and more particularly, concerns strips particularly adapted for use asboning means.

An object of this invention is to provide improved strips formed fromsynthetic plastic materials, such strips varying along the lengththereof as to resiliency, stiffness and penetrability by sewing needlesor the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved boning stripsformed of synthetic plastic materials, which may be producedeconomically and which have relatively soft end portions and relativelystifi intermediate portions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide im proved plasticstrips which have substantial flexibility in directions within the planeof the strip as well as in directions at right angles to the plane ofthe strip.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide improved, plasticboning strips which have structural features adapted to facilitate theuse thereof in assembly with apparel through the use of sewing machines.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide improved stay orboning strips which may be sewn into place on a garment, the stripsbeing disposed in suitable pockets or being directly sewn without apocket.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a boning strip embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an extruding and blanking operation forforming the boning strip of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of modified forms ofboning strips embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one end of a boning strip illustratingstill another modification;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of still another modified form ofboning strip;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of one end of yet another form of boningstrip;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of an end portion of still another form ofboning strip;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 10, showing a variationthereof;

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view of yet another form of boningstrip; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of one end of a boning strip embodying theinvention.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plasticstrip embodying the invention, is shown at 10. Such strip, which isparticularly suitable as a boning element for garments, comprisesopposite end portions 11 which are somewhat softer and more yieldingthan the intermediate portion 12, which may be quite stifi.

Strips 10 may be made in various ways, one method being illustrated inFIG. 2, wherein a sheet 13 of plastic is produced by extrusion. Sheet 13comprises opposite end zones 14 and an intermediate zone 15. Theextruding device which produces sheet 13 is arranged to receive separatebatches of plastic for producing zones 14, 15. The batch of plastic toproduce zones 14 is formulated to provide in the extruded sheeting 13 arelatively soft and yielding effect, whereas the formulation of theplastic batch forming intermediate zone 15 is productive in the extrudedsheeting 13 of a central portion which is stiffer than end zones 14.

The extruded sheeting 13 may be blanked by a suitable die, not shown,operating transversely of the sheeting 13, to produce the individualstrips 10. It is understood that the formulation of the plastic batchesmay be based on varying the proportion of plasticizer or softeningagents in a master batch of a given plastic. Alternatively, one plasticmay be used for forming central zone 15 and another plastic for formingzones 14. I

If desired, strips 10 may be slightly curved as indicated at 16 in FIG.13; may have a tapered cross section 17, as shown in FIG. 4; or may havea rectangular cross section 18 with rounded edges 19, as shown in FIG.5.

As the stay strips are frequently sewn into position relative to thegarment with which they are associated, the ends of strips 10 may becorrugated or indented, as at 20 in end portions 11, as shown in FIG. 6.Such corrugations or indentations prevent needle slippage and breakageduring the sewing operation. Furthermore, if the stay strip 10 is formedfrom polypropylene, it has been found that the temperature of theplastic is raised during the sewing operation to a value suflicient toplasticize the stay material and seal the same to the sewing thread.

As shown in FIG. 7, the stay strips 30 may comprise a fairly stiff bodyportion 31 with thinned lateral edge portions 32 on either side thereof,the portions 32 being quite flexible and readily penetratable byneedles. In FIGS. 8, 9, is shown a stay strip 35 which has tapered endportions 36 formed with an opening 37. As a result end portions 36 ofstrip 35 have a stiffness less than the body portion thereof and theopening 37 will facilitate sewing operations.

In FIG. 10 is shown a modified form of stay strip 40 wherein, thelateral portions 41 thereof are notched, as at 42; the notches onopposite sides of the strip being in offset relation. Such a stripdisplays flexibility in directions parallel to the plane of the strip,as well as at right angles thereto. Upon forming strip 40 ofpolypropylene and raising the temperature of the notched strip, azig-zag structure 43 is produced, as shown in FIG. 11. The strip 43 iseven more articulate in its ability to conform to various curvatureswhich a garment such as a brassiere, may have to assume, in use.

As shown in FIG. 12, the stay strip may include a body portion 51, whichmay have a thickness of the order of about .055", with integral wingportions 52 joined at their inner ends to a mid portion 53 of bodyportion 51. The wing portions 52 may have a thickness of the order ofabout .010" and the same project beyond the lateral edges of bodyportion 51.

The stay strip shown in FIG. 12. may be sewn in place with the stitchingpassing through the outer end portions of wings 52, leaving body portion51 in a floating relation to the garment surface with which the stay isassociated. Such arrangement increases the scope of design in boningvarious items of wearing apparel.

As indicated in FIG. 13, stay strip 60 comprises an elongated bodyportion 61 which may be quite stiff and formed from a suitable resinsuch as nylon or the like. Body portion 61 has secured to the oppositeends thereof tips 62 of a relatively softer resin, such aspolypropylene, which will readily pass a needle during a sewingoperation. Body portions 61 may be preformed by extrusion or the like,with a notch 63 at the opposite ends thereof. Body portions 61 may thenbe passed through another extruder to apply tips 62 to the ends thereof,notches 63 providing means for receiving a projecting portion of tip 62for adhering and mechanically interlocking the dissimilar resins.

of various plastics including-polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetate,polystyrene, nylon and the like. However, polypropylene is particularlyefiective for strips which are to bes ubjecte'dto se'v ving'ope'rations,particularly' since the fs'eiving' needle appears to belubricafed as itpassesthrough "the plastic, thereby niifiiliiiiing needle "breakage.

b As various changes might be made in the several cinbodirnen ts of theinvention herein deseribed, without deparing from th'e'spir'it thereof,it-is understood that all {inatterhereinshbvvn or described, isillustrative and not by Lvvayofliiiiitation' eiicept as set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

'L'A unitary elongated plastic boiling strip having an elongatedintermediateportion formed of a composition providing stifiness andresistance to penetration by needles, and at least one tip portionforrned of a composition of reduced stiffnessand penetrable by needles.

2. A plastic boning stripes in claim 1 wherein at least one tip portionis of a thickness substantially-less than 'the thickness of saidintermediate portion.

3. A strip as in claim 1 vvhei'ein at least one tip portion "thereof isformed with'spaced indentations 'on the face thereof. I

A plastic strip as in claim 1 wherein the lateral edge bort-itiir is'areformed with indentations extending toward the medial line of said strip,said indentations being in staggered'relation-onthe opposite edges ofsaid strip.

5. A unitary plastic boning strip having an elongated body portionformed of a composition providing stilfness and resistance to needlepenetration, and elongated fiat portions formed of a compositionpenetrable by needles, said flat portions being integrally connectedalong their inner longitudinal edges with a surface portion of said bodyportion, the outer longitudinal edges of said flat portions projectingbeyond the lateral edges of said body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS389,993 Warren Sept. 25, 1888 478,961 Grott a July 12, 1892 517,132Wolff Man-27, 1894 595,510 Adams Dec. 14,1897 1,113,758 Dean Oct. 13,1914 1,759,528 Tracy May 20, 1930 1,854,530 Taylor Apr. 19, 19322,756,435 Rose July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,823 Great Britain -4-'Apr. 11, 1900 1,052,300 France Sept. 23, 1953 791,168 Great BritainFeb. 26, 1958

1. A UNITARY ELONGATED PLASTIC BONING STRIP HAVING AN ELONGATEDINTERMEDIATE PORTION FORMED OF A COMPOSITION PROVIDING STIFFNESS ANDRESISTANCE TO PENETRATION BY NEEDLES, AND AT LEAST ONE TIP PORTIONFORMED OF A COMPOSITION OF REDUCED STIFFNESS AND PENETRABLE BY NEEDLES.